Marine technology company WinGD has seen growth in orders for its low-pressure, dual-fuel two-stroke engines, driven by LNG carrier ordering spree.
As explained, the maritime industry’s response to the call for tighter environmental regulations combined with the 2020 sulphur cap is steadily leading the industry towards dual fuel solutions.
WinGD said that a few recent orders confirm that confidence in LNG as a marine fuel is growing to include a broader range of vessel types beyond LNGC to include chemical & crude oil tankers, asphalt carriers and container feeders.
“This doesn’t mean that there isn’t still a considerable amount of debate about what the future fuels will be, but it does give owners peace of mind that their vessels will be compliant, safe and reliable for many years to come. LNG is the bridge which will get us closer to a carbon neutral future,” Rolf Stiefel, VP Sales at WinGD, commented.
“More and more of the engines ordered for propelling deep sea vessels are choosing LNG as fuel. The reasons are compelling: lower emissions, less CO2 and offered at a very attractive price compared to 0.5% sulphur fuels,” Stiefel added.
WinGD closed the first quarter of 2019 with 32 new X-DF engines on order. What is more, the company has so far received orders for over 200 X-DF engines.
The company has made investments into the technology of LNG-fueled engines and is constantly investing in improving the efficiency of its engines.
Changing the fuel to LNG would not only solve the problem with compliance with the sulphur cap 2020 but it would also reduce shipping’s overall emissions dramatically, Stiefel pointed out last year in an interview with World Maritime News.
Back in September 2018, he explained that adopting LNG as marine fuel is still new and it requires a new set of equipment on board, a new set of safety rules, and new sets of operation.